The present invention relates generally to communication systems. More specifically, the invention relates to the transfer of data objects to communication devices in a communication system.
With the convergence of voice and data communication networks, portable communication devices are increasingly likely to support several communication modes, as well as a number of communication-related applications. Single-purpose cellular phones and alphanumeric pagers have given way to complex mobile devices supporting voice communications, e-mail, and instant messaging. A typical device often includes a camera, a music player, and sound recorder, and may include a global positioning system (GPS) receiver. Many of these devices and their supporting wireless networks now enable simultaneous use of multiple communication modes. Thus, a device user today might engage in a voice call and simultaneously send or receive text messages, digital images, video clips, or the like.
A few applications have been developed to take advantage of this simultaneous availability of multiple communications modes. In particular, several patents and patent application publications describe a so-called Phone Pages system, in which the generation and transfer of multimedia data objects is triggered by various communication-related events. These data objects, or Phone Pages, thus supplement a primary communication session, such as a voice call, an e-mail exchange, or an instant message conversation. The Phone Pages concept is described in the following patents and patent application publications, the contents of which are each incorporated by reference herein: U.S. Pat. No. 6,922,721, titled “Exchange of Information in a Communication System” and issued on Jul. 26, 2005 to Minborg et al.; U.S. Patent Application Publication 2005/0271041 A1, titled “Exchange of Information in a Communication System” and filed on Jun. 1, 2005 by Minborg et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,996,072, titled “Method and Apparatus for Exchange of Information in a Communication Network” and issued on Feb. 7, 2006 to Minborg; U.S. Pat. No. 6,977,909, titled “System and Method for Exchange of Information in a Communication Network” and issued on Dec. 20, 2005 to Minborg; and U.S. Patent Application Publication 2006/0114845, also titled “System and Method for Exchange of Information in a Communication network” and filed on Nov. 14, 2005 by Minborg.
The communication techniques and systems described in the preceding references provide a variety of enhancements to conventional modes of communication, facilitating the convenient exchange of various data objects between users of communications devices. These enhancements may be quite valuable both for promoting personal relationships and for supporting business and enterprise communications. However, if unrestrained, the increased flow of data objects may be overwhelming, both for system users and for the system itself. In particular, users may be concerned about whether received data is relevant to their activities and interests.